Mate

Terra

"Runt, I almost didn't recognize you. You look… different," Eric smirked, his lecherous gaze fixed on my curves. "I like it. A lot."

"Please excuse me." I bowed slightly, then moved as fast as my legs could carry me. I hurried away from Eric.

He was faster, his steel grip tightening around my wrist forcing me to a stop.

"I wasn't done talking to you, Terra." He snarled and my body began to tremble against my control.

I could feel Diana trying to fight against Eric's dominance in my head but it was hopeless, I simply wasn't strong enough.

Eric tugged me closer, my back to his chest, his nose in my hair and my backside firmly pressed to him. So much so that I could feel his erection.

Nausea bubbled up inside me and I began to struggle against his hold in earnest.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, my elbows digging into Eric's ribs.

Eric let go of me but before I could make my escape, he backhanded me so soundly that I fell to the ground, my vision hazy.

"How dare you refuse me?" Eric growled, his eyes narrowed.

"It is an honor for a nobody like you to have a Beta take interest in you,"

The back of my ear felt wet and sticky, the metallic taste of my blood coating my teeth and my vision was still hazy.

Eric undid the buckle of his pants, the anger in his voice swiftly shifting to a cloyingly sweet tone.

"You will be damaged goods but if you satisfy me, I might just take you as one of my mistresses."

I could feel Diana caving to Eric's dominance, her fight slowly dying out and my eyes filled with hot tears.

Being an omega in a world built on strength meant being a slave to other's wishes. A fate of forever being doomed to submission. That was why I never took any risks. My entire life was a damn hazard.

Eric smiled at my lack of fight, his hand cradling the back of my head and guiding me closer.

"Good girl," He crooned. "Just take it like a good little omega."

On my knees in front of a man who was going to molest me because I'd dared come for a party, dared be seen and simply because he could, something in me snapped.

I looked up at Eric's smug face, his erection inches from my face then I slashed at his groin with my claws.

Eric screamed like a lady and I shoved him to the side.

Then I ran ignoring the rip on my bodice where he had tried to hold on to me. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me.

Eric was a Beta and unlike Omegas, they healed pretty fast. If he caught me after what I had done… what would be left of me wouldn't be able to fit into a shoebox.

I reached an intersection, one way leading down towards the ballroom and the exit another leading up. Eric would assume I would try to leave.

I pulled out Allure, gave myself a good spritz and headed up.

I didn't know what was on the top floor but hopefully, there would be someplace for me to hide till Eric was gone and-

I slammed right into someone who'd just stepped out of a room, bowling him over so that we both landed on the ground, me on top of him.

"I'm sorry, I-" I began to apologize only to be hit by the most intoxicating scent of cinnamon, cloves with an undertone of something animalistic, raw and somehow… mine.

Mate. Mate. Mate. Diana was going wild in my head.

Bracing my shaky hands on his broad shoulders, I pulled back enough to look at my mate.

I think I fell in love with him then.

He was handsome. The unrealistic type of handsome. The ones that belonged only in books.

He had light grey eyes that reminded me of winter, hair as black as night that framed the most chiselled cheekbones that I couldn't help following down to his parted lips that did something to me.

"Mate?" He sounded as confused as I felt.

Although confusion alone was insufficient to describe how I felt.

I was transfixed, fascinated, enthralled and confused by the intensity of my emotions. That was the only reason I did what I did next.

I traced a finger down his face as though to ascertain he was real only to find myself barely holding in a gasp at the sudden rush of liquid desire that flooded my veins.

His pupils dilated so much so that they seemed black and his hold on my waist tightened almost imperceptibly.

The draw of the bond was hitting me too hard and fast.

I pulled away ignoring Diana's high-pitched whines in my head to return to our mate's arms, to let him hold us, touch us, mark us.

I stood up but in my haste, I tripped on the train of my dress.

My mate caught me before I could hit the ground. His hand braced around my waist. I stared up at him, unable to even breathe from the intensity with which he was staring at me.

I straightened in his grasp gaining my footing again and his hand fell from my waist.

Maybe it was because I didn't know him well enough to read his gaze but it seemed like he was pulling away from me.

Then to my surprise, my mate cupped my cheek similarly to how I had touched him earlier, his touch burning me like a brand and I just melted.

His hand quickly dropped from my cheek like he'd realized the effect his touch had on me but it was already too late.

I closed the distance between us and kissed him.

With that kiss, it felt like a supernova of desire went off between us. We couldn't have stopped even if we wanted to.

I gasped into our kiss, his tongue sliding against mine and the next thing I knew, my legs were twined around his waist and my back pressed against the door of his room.

I didn't recall leaving the hallway, entering his room or even unlacing my dress yet it was already on the ground.

His lips left mine and I moaned in protest then mounting desire as he kissed my cheek, my cheek, his lips traveled down my nape leaving a scintillating trail of open-mouthed kisses that had me arching against him.

I gasped, my nipples pebbling under his masterful touch, my fingernails digging into his back, my body slick with sweat, arousal and inescapable desire.

I couldn't remember a time when I didn't know him. Where I didn't burn for him. All that existed at that moment was us and the desire that threatened to consume us with every touch.

I wanted him despite the fact that I didn't even know his name, but maybe that wasn't necessary when our souls knew each other.

He took me slow, hard, sensuously and when I came apart, it was with his arms steadying me, grounding me.

I would never tire of this. Of being with him.

The blinding rays of the sun woke me up the next morning.

It took me a moment of blind searching to realize I was alone in the bed.

Panicked, my eyes flew open only to see my mate standing next to the open window, fully clothed and his back to me.

Even fully clothed, he was a sight to behold and I found myself staring at his back for a few more seconds like a complete weirdo.

Ask him why he didn't mark us. Diana demanded but her tone was as languid as I felt. I felt tired and sore but in a good way. A really good way.

Blushing and pulling the sheets closer to my naked body, I tried to find my words.

"Good morning," I said softly, so softly he might not have heard me if the room weren't dead silent.

"Get out." My mate's voice was unflinchingly cold.